RICHMOND, Va. -- Hundreds gathered on Wednesday night to honor the life of a young Richmond teen whose life was taken too soon.
Samiyah Yellardy, 17, was killed Sunday inside her family's Bellemeade neighborhood home in Richmond.
Yellardy's mom had one rule which was to keep whatever was said about her daughter at Wednesday's vigil positive.
"Yes, I'm broken. Yes, it hurts to the core. I'm gonna get through this."
Crowds of purple and silver balloons were flown at George Wythe High School during the vigil. Some wrote messages.
One woman in the crowd, the teen's middle school bus driver, gave those who were in attendance a blast from Samiyah's past.
"About two years ago, we took a ride from Boushall Middle here on the south side. From there to Afton and that was it. Samiyah was one of those kids I never had a problem with. On occasion, there was issues, so I started to rap. Some came to it can gave me some dap. She'd get on my bus, I'd say hi, she'd say hey, G G, you gonna rap for us today? Sometimes I didn't. Sometimes I did. She knew I would do it to calm down the kids. I didn't know her like that but knew her from my bus and I would often overhear the things she'd discuss. Never nothing bad, never nothing mean, always dressed to impress, the girl stayed clean."
"We rather she be here but the Lord's will is greater so now it's not goodbye, but Samiyah, see you later."
This memory may be just what the hurting community needs as they try to make sense of a young woman's life cut tragically short.
Yellardy will be laid to rest next week.
